Nonrefillable bottle stopper



April 18, 1939. J. H. BALDWIN ET AL NONREFILLABLE BOTTLE STOPPER FiledDec.,23, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTO Patented Apr. 18, 1939 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE sen, Danbury, Conn.,

assignors to Container Fitments, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation ofMaryland Application December 23, 1936, Serial No. 117,396

14 Claims.

This invention relates to non-refillable bottle stoppers and moreparticularly to the construction and assembly of that type ofnon-refillable bottle stopper that has a so-called float valve.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a non-refillablebottle stopper construc- -tion which will be of inexpensive manufacture,characterized by facility of assembly, and that will be strong anddurable. Another object is to provide a non-refillable bottle stopper ofthe above-mentioned character in which component parts may bemanufactured at low cost and be capable of ease and low cost ofassembly. Another object is to provide a stopper and bottle neckconstruction in which the mounting of the non-refillable stopper withrespect to the bottle neck will be simple and inexpensive to accomplishin practice, strong and dependable, dependably resistant to removal, andreliable in actual use.

Another object is to provide an efficient, lasting and dependableclosure or seal to negative leakage of the bottle contents during, forexample, shipment or transportation, while at the same time avoidinginterference with the nonrefillable stopper construction and itsintended action. Another object is to provide a bottle neck or likecontainer part and a non-refillable stopper construction with a closureand sealing means by which leakage of the liquid contents is dependablyprevented. Another object is to provide a construction of theabove-mentioned character in which a sealed connection between thestopper construction and the bottle neck or the like is dependablysupplemented by a bottle closure and sealing means to insure againstloss or leakage of liquid contents.

Another object is to provide a construction of the above-mentionedcharacter in which the pour of liquid out of the bottle or container issmooth, adequately rapid, and neat. Another object is to provide anon-refillable stopper construction in which a long-lasting anddependably acting seal or closure is achieved in order 45 to negativedependably attempts to refill the container or bottle under theproduction of a pressure differential between the outside and inside ofthe bottle. Another object is to provide a non-refillable stopperconstruction that is dependably tamper-proof and yet compact and durablein construction and efiicient in action.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements and arrangements of parts as will beexemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described, and

the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the followingclaims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of the variouspossible embodiments of our invention:

' Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view through a bottle neckwith the stopper and seal or closure;

Figure 2 is a plan view, as seen from the top in Figure 1, with theclosure removed, more particularly as seen along the line 22 of Figure1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view like that of Figure 1, with the closure orseal removed, the construction being tilted through 90 from the positionof Figure 1, to show certain actions that take place;

Figure 3 a view like that of Figure 1 with certain parts omitted orbroken away, showing a modified form of closure or seal;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view of the stopper construction asseen along the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of the stopper construction asseen along the line 55 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional View of the stopper construction asseen along the line 6-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view of the stopper construction asseen along the line 1-1 of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a detached isometric view of one of the parts of the stopperconstruction, and

Figure 9 is a detached isometric view of another part thereof.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views in the drawmgs.

Referring first to Figure 1 of the drawings, we provide an outer shellor casing I!) generally cylindrical and of a diameter to be snuglyreceived within the bottle neck II and to by-pass a ring-like shoulderI2, shaped as shown, extending about the inner wall of the bottle neck ashort distance from the extreme upper end l3 thereof. At its lower endthe casing or shell IIJ, made of suitably thin sheet metal, has a bottoml4 provided with a central round hole [5, but the bottom M has aring-like portion I6 thereof that extends about the hole [5 inclineddownwardly, and hence presenting an upwardly exposed face or surfacethat is substantially frusto-conical.

The substantially horizontal portion of the made of cork. Its outsidediameter is commensurate with the inside diameter of the shell I and. ithas an opening |8 of a diameter just about equal to that of the hole |5.Normally it rests on the horizontal portion of the bottom wall l4 and itis to coact with a hollow ball valve l9; its inner annular portionsoverhang the frusto-conical flange or seat l6, as shown in Figure l, andnormally its action is analogous to that of a cantilever in so far as itoffers support, under normal conditions, to the ball l9 and anoverbalanced weight member that coacts with the ball I9.

' Resting above the washer I1 is a thin sheet washer I! in position butwith the inner annular portion thereof free to partake of bending orflexing, as will be later described; these two parts thus insure theabove-mentioned cantilever type of support for the washer l1 and, ifdesired, the metal washer 2| may be shaped to be frustoconical orupwardly concaved, as indicated in Figure 1, to allow for greaterfreedom of flexing downwardly of the inner annular portion of the washerunder certain circumstances.

As above pointed out, the shell or casing I0 is preferably cylindricaland at its upper end it is provided with a substantially horizontallyoutwardly'extending flange 22' whose outside diameter is substantiallyequal to the outside diameter of the annular shoulder |2 in the bottleneck these parts thus preventing the construction from falling into thebottle; ultimately, and as later explained in detail, the flange 22 andshoulder |2 areto coact with a washer-like gasket 23- to effect a sealedconnection between the casing I0 and the bottle neck.

The shell or casing I!) will thus be seen to be of a constructioncapable of easy and inexpensive manufacture; for example, it may beeasily drawn into the form described. Preferably, however, andpreferably in the course of such forming or drawing operations, thecylindrical side walls of the lower half of the shell II] are given,throughout a suitable number of peripheral intervals, illustrativelythree, a. slightly smaller radius of curvature as throughout the regionsA, B and C of Figures 6 and 7, thereby forming or providing,

throughout the lower half of the shell l0 and upon the inside thereof, acorresponding number of intervening vertically extending channels 24, 25and 26. -Where three such channels are provided, they are of aperipheral or arcuate extent somewhat less than one-sixth of thecircumference of the shell Ill. Preferably they are of a depthcommensurate with the thickness of the ceive three sheet metal members28, 29 and 30,

respectively, and to space them preferably equiit up on itsmaximum-diametered edge.

distantly about the interior of the shell l0. These members are the samein construction, the details of which are best shown in Figure 8. Theyare made of sheet metal preferably of the same thickness as that of theshell l0.

Thus, each of these members comprises an upright portion 3| of avertical dimension slightly less than the inside depth of the shell |B(Figure 1) and curved to have a radius of curvature to match that of theinside surface of the shell l0.

At the two vertical side edges of the upright portion 3| and integrallyformed therewith are flanges 32 and 33 extending approximately at rightangles to the plane of the portion 3|. These flanges 32, 33 terminateshort of the bottom edge 34 of the upright portion 3| so that when thethree members 28, 29 and are assembled to the shell l0, these bottomedges 34' contact the shell bottom wall l4 and engage the peripheries ofthe metal washer 2| (Figures 1 and 7) and of the cork washer l1, whilethe lower ends of the side flanges 32, 33 of all three members projectinwardly over the metal washer 2| (Figure 1), hold the latter againstupward displacement, and

thus cause it and the bottom wall M to hold the washer H in. position asalready above described.

The flanges 32, 33 (Figure 8) are similarly shaped; thus, each has alower portion of appropriate radial extent to provide a straight edgeface 35 parallel to the axis of the casing ID, each edge face 35' beingpreferably neatly squared off, as indicated. Accordingly, when the threemembers 28, 29 and 30 become related to the casing H], as abovedescribed, there are thus presented toward the ball valve 9 six parallelstraight edge faces 35 substantially equidistantly spaced (see Figure'7) about a circle whose radius is sub-stantially the same as orslightly less than that of the ball member |9 itself. But preferably theflanges 32, 33 of these three members extend each at an angle to theradius drawn from the axis of the casing III or ball I9 to its edge face35, and hence, as is better shown in Figure 7, the ball |9 engages or istangent to the line in which the edge face of each flange memberintersects with the inside face of the flange itself. In effect,therefore, the

lower flange portions of the members 28, 29 and 30 provide a pluralityof parallel knife edges along which the ball valve l9, which is hollowand has a certain degree of buoyancy, may move, insuring not onlyminimum frictional resistance to movement of the-ball, but also otheradvantages later has an intermediate portion which provides an edge face36 which, however, extends at an angle to the axis of the casing I0 (seeFigures 1 and 3). These intermediate portions are to coact with theweight 20 (Figures 1 and 3), the weight being given in general a concavoconvex shape, substantially as shown. It is of metal and its shapeeffects such a distribution of weight that it is in unstable equilibriumif it is attempted to stand Toward the latter are presented the inclinededge faces 36, as is better shown in the sectional view of Figure 6, andfor reasons that will now be clear, any contact of the outer convex orperipheral surface of the weightlfl'with any of the flange 0r ribportions 36', is a point contact in that the portions 36 present to theweight 20 what is in effect a knife edge.

The upper end of each of the vertical flanges 32, 33 (Figure 8) isnotched, as at 31 and 38, thus providing three tongues 39, 40 and 4|.With these tongues and notches certain other parts coact, and among themis a member generally indicated by the reference character 43 in Figure9 and a member 44 better shown in Figures 1 and 3. Member 44 isgenerally disk-shaped, is made of sheet metal, and it has a bottom 45about the periphery of which extends a flange 46 that snugly takes intothe notches 31 of the flanges 32, 33 of the members 28, 29 and 30 (seealso Figure it thus holds the latter against movement toward the axis ofthe casing l6 and takes part in insuring that these three members andtheir parts are held in proper alinement.

The member 44 is imperforate and preferably, at its central portion, isformed to provide an upstanding part 41 in the shape of a truncatedcone. By itself it will be seen to be a simple and inexpensive part tomanufacture.

The member 43 of Figure 9 is preferably a unitary sheet metal part, hasa cylindrical side wall 49 which, from its upper periphery, merges intoa curved mouth-like portion 50.

Its cylindrical side wall 49 is of a radius of curvature somewhat lessthan the radius of curvature of the inside faces of the upright portions34 of the three inserted members 28, 29 and 36, and in effect is of aradius of curvature intermediate of the radii of curvature of the flange46 of the member 44 and of the casing l9 itself (see Figures 1 and 5).

Extending vertically from its lower edge (see Figure 9) are pairs ofslots-5|--52 spaced apart sufliciently to receive therein the upper endportions of the flanges 32, 33, respectively there being one pair ofsuch slots for each pair of such flanges.

The cylindrical wall 49 of the member 43 (Figure 9) is provided alsowith suitable apertures. Thus, the wall portions 53 thereof thatintervene adjacent pairs of slots are provided with openings 54 and thewall portions 55 that intervene the slots of each pair are provided withholes 56. Additionally, the slots 5|, 52 may terminate in elongatedopenings 51.

The member 43 is positioned inside of the theoretical cylinder of whichthe curved upright wall portions 3| of the members 29, 29 and 30 form apart and is supported against displacement in an axial direction bythese upright members. Thus, the tongues 4|, 4| of the flanges 32, 33extend over the horizontal portion (see Figure 1) of the internalspout-forming part 50, while tongues 39, 40 of each flange projectinwardly through the vertical slots 5| or 52, as the case may be, of themember 43, the six pairs of tongues 3940 being thus presented interiorlyof the cylindrical wall portion 49 (see Figure 5) for the support of themember 44, as above described. The slots 33, 38 (Figure 8) are of avertical dimension to snugly receive therein so much of the cylindricalWall portion 49 (Figure 9) as extends between the upper edge of theapertures 51 and the upper edge of the cylindrical wall 49 itself. Theresultant relationship of these assembled parts is best shown in Figure1.

In effecting this assembly, a preferred procedure, again referring toFigure 1, is to position the washers ll and 2| in the bottom of thecasing l0, followed by the insertion of the ball valve 49. The uprightmembers 28, 29 and 39 may then be assembled as a sub-unit with respectto the members 43 and 44 and the weight 20, and

this sub-unit is then slid into the casing III, the three uprightmembers entering the channels 24, and 26, respectively (see Figures 6and '7), and the lowermost edges of the flanges 32, 33 of these threeupright members engaging the upper face of the metal washer 2|(Figure 1) to hold it and the gasket-like washer l6 in the relationshipsalready above described.

It will be seen that the three members 28, 29 and terminate above thehorizontal portion of the spout or mouth 50, presenting, as betterappears in Figure 4, three equidistantly spaced Ushaped parts.

Thereupon, we insert, preferably with a friction fit, a top member,generally indicated by the reference character 60 in Figure 1; this topmember 60 has a cylindrical side wall 6| which is snugly, and, as noted,with a friction fit, received into the upper end of the cylindricalshell or casing ID to a depth determined by an outo wardly andhorizontally projecting flange 62 which becomes superimposed upon thecasing flange 22, and by the engagement of the lower end of thecylindrical side wall 6| with the upwardly exposed U-shaped ends (seeFigure 4) of the three upright members 28, 29 and 30; the latter arethus made to bottom against the bottom |4 between which and the part 60they thus become held against displacement axially of the casing I0.

From the lower end of its cylindrical side wall 6| the member 60 merges,preferably in an upward curve, as at 63, to terminate in an openendedcylindrical mouth or pouring spout 64.

As thus assembled, the stopper construction may be inserted into thebottle neck I I after the Washer 23 (Figure 1) has been either relatedto the shoulder I2 or slid over the casing I0 and up against the underface of the flange 22. The

parts are preferably so proportioned that the plane of the upper-end ofthe spout 64 substantially coincides with the plane of the upper end l3of the bottle neck II.

By means of a suitable tool, the parts of which take into the ring-likespace between the portions 5| and 64 (Figure 1) of the member 60, thelower portion of the cylindrical wall or band-like part 6| and with itan upper portion of the cylindrical wall of the casing I0, is forced orspun or bent, throughout the entire periphery, outwardly and against thedownwardly and outwardly curved or tapering wall 65 of the shoulder I2,this action being accompanied by a drawing downwardly of the entirestopper construction and by a resultant dependable compression of thegasket 23 between the upper face of the shoulder l2 and the doubleflange 2262.

An effective, durable and strong seal is thus achieved at the junctionof the casing l6 with the bottle neck I and, moreover, one that isdependably tamper-proof. For example, while a secure fastening and sealmay be achieved by thus spinning the upper portion of the casing l6alone against the under wall of the shoulder l2, the construction abovedescribed in effect mechanically locks this outwardly forced portion ofthe casing wall in that the substantial mechanical strength and rigidityof the substantially frustoconical portion 63 of the member 60 isinterposed to resist such inward movement of the outwardly forced metalof the casing II] as would be necessary to effect upward withdrawal ofthe casing or stopper from the bottle neck. Furthermore, the outwardlybulging or outwardly forced part of the wall 6| of the member 60 is notonly in effect a,ring or band but alsoa ring of angled or curvedcross-section, having relatively great resistance to distortion orforced contraction, and by itself serves as a dependable lock.

The stopper construction is, of course, assembled to the bottle neckafter the bottle or container has been filled, whereupon we achieve aclosure, against spilling, of the bottle in any suitable way butpreferably by the arrangement shown in Figure 1. Accordingly, the bottleneck H is provided externally with a thread 66 to receive the thread 61formed in the side wall of a sheet metal cap 68 under the top wall ofwhich is fitted a gasket 69, such as cork, or the like, with or withouta thin sheet metal or foil member 19. The cap 68, when screwed home,brings the gasket 691il, the latter being yieldable, into tightperipheral engagement with not only the top edge or face l3 of thebottleneck H but also the top edge of the spout 64, effecting adependable seal at both peripheral edges or faces.

The seal achieved at the top edge of the spout 64 stops in the firstinstance egress of liquid contents as, for example, when the bottle islaid over on its side while the seal achieved at the bottle neck topedge l3 insures against loss of liquid contents in the event that theseal at the gasket 23 or at the spun joint between the parts 60 and Ishould spring a leak and also against possible leakage at the sealbetween the cap gasket 69 and the spout 64. Thus, dependable insuranceagainst leakage is achieved However, we might also and particularly inview of the dependable seal and junction achieved, as above described,at the gasket 23 effect a closure by an arrangement shown in Figure 3 Inthis modification, the spout portion 64 of the member 60 is formed tohave threads, as indicated, and a threaded sheet metal cap 19, with agasket ll therein, may be threaded onto this threaded spout 64, thuseffecting a seal at the upper edge of the spout 64.

In the action and operation of the stopper construction many uniqueadvantages and coactions are achieved. For example, in effecting apouring of the liquid contents out of the bottle, after the closure hasbeen removed, the knife edge engagements with the ball valve l9 and theweight 20 of the flange portions 35 and 36, respectively (Figures 7 and8) insure an almost frictionless resistance to displacement of the balland the weight under the pressure of the liquid seeking egress from thecontainer; the ball I9 is thus quickly displaced from its yieldable seatI"! and any resistance to such displacement by the weight 20 likewiseovercome. The ball I9 is thus positioned on the knife edge parts of theflanges 32, 33 somewhat to the left of the position shown in Figure 3,and a free flow of liquid through the hole IS in the gasket washer I!and into the casing l6 results, the thin sheet metal flanges 32, 33occupying but a minimum of volume of the space available for liquidflow.

The liquid then, in effect, divides along two paths of flow, one beingthrough the annular space E (see Figure between the casing wall and thecylindrical wall 49 of the part 43, and another being through theannular space F (Fig- .ure 5) between the cylindrical wall 49 and theflange 46 of the part 44. The former path leads directly to the spout 64and the latter leads thereto but through the internal spout 50.

At the same time there may take place an interchange or commingling ofliquid between these two paths, and that may take place through theapertures 54, 56 and 51 (Figure 9) in the side wall of the member 43,and by way of these apertures a self-seeking distribution of flowbetween the two paths takes place.

As liquid is thus flowing out of the container, air is entering thelatter along similar paths but in reverse directions. Such a nicety ofingress of air and egress of liquid takes place by this constructionthat the pour is a steady uniform substantially solid stream and theflow is, moreover, very rapid.

Attempts to fill the bottle when inverted are frustrated by the buoyancyof the ball valve l9 which is hollow and which floats upwardly intoengagement with its seat, thus closing off entrance to the bottle. If itis attempted to refill the bottle with the latter at an angle to thevertical, such as is indicated in Figure 3, the unbalanced weight 20,having at its peripheral edges the substantially frictionless knifeedges of the portions 66, 68 (Figures 8 and 6) for a support, slides andtilts into a position like that shown in Figure 3, the inclination ofthe portions 36, 36 and the frictionless character of the knife edgesinsuring dependability of these actions and hence of its action inpushing the ball [9 along its frictionless knife edges into seatingposition. In this connection, it will be noted that the lowermosttongues 39, 39 of the members 28, 29 and 30 are of sufficient inwardextent to form stops for the weight member 20.

The point contacts between the knife edges and the weight or ball alsonegative adhesion or adherence of the parts as might otherwise beencouraged by the wetness of the parts.

Nor can the bottle be filled by achieving a differential of pressurebetween its interior and the liquid attempted to be forced into it. Inthis connection the actions just above described initially seat the balll9 against the yieldably flexible washer or seat I'I, giving it aposition as shown in Figure 1.

The greater the pressure differential, the greater the pressure withwhich the ball I9 is forced against its seat. The inner annular portionof the washer I'I bends or yields, assuming a dished or generallyfrusto-conical shape, as is better shown in Figure 3, and thereby abandlike area of the washer I1 is presented to the ball l9, transformingwhat, excepting for the in- I herent softness or yieldability of thematerial of the washer itself, was theoretically a circular line ofsealing contact into a band or zone of sealing contact of substantialarea. For this purpose the inner annular portion I6 of the bottom l4(Figures 1 and 3) is bent or curved downwardly or given a generallyfrusto-conical shape to provide a limiting support for the washer whenthus flexed or bent to give the above-described contact surface ofsubstantial area. Continued application of pressure acts still furtherto enlarge this zone or band of sealing contact, due to the inherentsoftness or yieldability of the material of the washer.

Thus, attempts to fill the bottle by attempting to force liquid into itunder pressure, and this attempt may be made by reducing the pressure inthe bottle below atmospheric, are dependably frustrated.

During normal use, however, the washer l1, though yieldably flexible,normally assumes and retains the relationship shown in Figure 1, due tothe above-described cantilever action or support, and the engagementtherewith of the ball I9 is primarily along a line or circle; thisinsures that the bottle contents may freely breathe into and out of thespaces within or above the casing ID, particularly during changes intemperature, and hence equalization of vapor pressures on the two sidesof the valve seat efiiciently take place without giving rise to adifference of pressure suflicient to cause the valve I 9 to be held andlocked against its seat.

Preferably the metal washer 2! has a rela tively sharp downwardlydirected lip or edge 2| (Figure 1) which somewhat bites into or becomesembedded in the gasket-like washer ll when the construction isassembled, as earlier above described, the two washers becoming therebyrelated to each other with substantially perfect concentricity. Butfeatures already above described also bring about a like concentricityof relationship between the two washers and other parts, such as thecasing itself, the guideway for the valve I9 and for the weight 20, andthus initial assembly achieves coaxial alinement of these various parts.Due, however, to the lip 2| biting into the washer I1, subsequentchanges in, for example, the outside diameter of the washer I1, areprecluded from allowing such a displacement in the position of thewasher l1 taking place as might disturb the concentricity or coaxialalinement between the washer opening l8 and the rest of the parts suchas the casing, the guideway for the ball valve [9, and the ball valveitself. The washer I! may undergo certain changes in dimensions due toexpanse or contraction caused by various conditions, such as the degreeof wetness of the washer; however, the dependable connection between themetal washer 2l, which is dependably centered or maintained coaxial withrespect to the easing, guideway, and hence the ball valve, preventslateral shifting of the washer I! as a whole and causes any contractionsor expansions, such as might affect the opening l8 therein, always totake place concentrically with respect to the guideway and hence theball valve. The latter accordingly always finds the washer opening l8and itself truly coaxial, and thus permanency of the intended or desiredcoactions therebetween is assured.

As already described, the range of rolling movement of the ball l9 alongthe knife edges provided by the flange edges 35, 35, etc., is limitednot to exceed the length of the latter, and, as better appears in Figure1, the flanges 32, 33 of the upright members hold the ball, and also theweight 20, for that matter, a substantial distance away from the insidecylindrical walls of any of the parts. These relationships, includingthe knife edge contacts with the ball and weight, also make virtuallyimpossible any substantial adherence or adhesion of the ball or weightto the parts that they contact, by reason of the parts being wet by theliquid, or foreign substances that might be injected in the attempt toanchor these parts in a position to negative any of the abovedescribedactions in preventing refilling. Also, the ball [9 and weight 20 aredependably protected against access thereto by means of an implement,instrument, or the like.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided in this invention astopper construction in which the various objects hereinbefore noted,together with many thoroughly practical advantages, are successfullyachieved. The construction is thoroughly dependable and durable, and maybe inexpensively and expeditiously manufactured, particularly where theparts are made of sheet metal; however, it will be apparent, in view ofthe foregoing, that many of the features and advantages of our inventionmay be realized in practice where materials other than metal areemployed. Thus, for example, non-metallic materials may be employed,including so-called moldable materials, plastics, ceramics, or the like.Moreover, the construction is well adapted to meet the peculiar andvaried conditions of practical use.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention, and asmany changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is tobe understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth, or shown in theaccompanying drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

We claim:

1. A non-refillable bottle stopper construction comprising a sheet metalshell having an annular bottom supporting, in overhanging relationshipto the opening therein, a yieldably flexible washer, said washer havingan inner peripheral portion overhanging the inner periphery of saidannular bottom whereby the former portion may yieldably flex withrespect to said inner bottom periphery, said casing having a pluralityof channels formed in its side walls, a ball float valve for coactionwith said washer and movable into engagement with the inner peripheralportion of sented inwardly toward said float valve and weight member andhaving portions respectively received in said casing channels, saidparts overlying said washer to hold it in place, and bafile meansadjacent the other end of said casing and secured thereto for closingoff the guideway formed by said plurality of parts and for holding thelatter in their respective channels.

2. A non-refillable bottle stopper construction comprising a sheet metalshell having an annular bottom supporting, in overhanging relationshipto the opening therein, a yieldably flexible washer, said casing havinga plurality of channels formed in its side walls, a ball float valve forcoaction with said washer, an unbalanced weight member for coaction withsaid valve, guide means for said ball valve and said weight membercomprising a plurality of parts having portions extending longitudinallyof said casing and presented inwardly toward said float valve and Weightmember and having portions respectively received in said casingchannels, said parts overlying said washer to hold it in place, and aplurality of members interfltted with the upper ends of said pluralityof parts for holding the latter in their respective channels and formingbafilelike means with circuitous passages to prevent access to saidweight member and float valve while permitting flow of liquid throughsaid passages.

3. A non-refillable bottle stopper construction comprising a sheet metalshell having an annular bottom supporting, in overhanging relationshipto the opening therein, a yieldably flexible washer, said casing havinga plurality of channels formed in its side walls, a ball float valve forcoaction with said Washer, an unbalanced weight member for coaction withsaid valve, guide me ins for said ball valve and said weight membercomprising a plurality of parts having portions extending longitudinallyof said casing and presented inwardly toward said float valve and weightmember and having portions respectively received in said casingchannels, said parts overlying said washer to hold it in place, bafflemeans adjacent the upper ends of said parts and mechanicallyinterengaged therewith, said casing having an upper portion capable ofbeing outwardly expanded as against a shoulder of a part to which saidstopper construction is to be secured, and a spoutforming member ofsheet metal seated within said upper casing portion and against theupper ends of said plurality of parts and capable of being alsooutwardly expanded and thus to be seated in the outwardly expanded uppercasing portion.

4. A construction of the character described comprising, in combination,a bottle neck having an inwardly extending shoulder with a gasketresting against its upper face, a non-refillable stopper constructionhaving its upper sheet metal end annularly conformed to be outwardlyconcave and to envelop said gasket and shoulder, and a sheet metalmember having a band-like portion received within said upper end andsubstantially conformed thereto to lock said annular outwardly concavesheet metal end against forced distortion or disengagement from saidshoulder and gasket.

5. A construction as claimed in claim 4 in which said sheet metal memberhas an upward spout-forming extension, and means for releasably sealingsaid spout-forming extension.

6.'A construction as claimed in claim 4 in which said sheet metal memberhas an extension to form a pouring spout whose mouth terminates insubstantially the same plane as the mouth of said bottle neck, a gasketextending across the bottle neck mouth and engaging both the latter andthe mouth of said pouring spout, and means for releasably holding saidgasket in sealing relationship to both of said mouths.

'7. A non-refillable bottle stopper construction comprising a casinghaving a valve opening in its bottom and a valve coacting therewith, anunbalanced weight member coacting with said valve, a sub-assemblystructure comprising a plurality of substantially circumferentiallyspaced longitudinally extending parts forming a guideway for said valveand weight member and having passage-forming baffle means closing offsaid guideway and when inserted into said casing closing off the upperend thereof, and means holding said sub-assembly in assembled relationto said casing, said baiile-forming means comprising a member extendingtransversely adjacent the upper ends of said guideway-forming parts, thelatter having inward extensions to prevent contact between said weightmember and said baflie member.

8. A non-refillable bottle stopper construction comprising a casinghaving a valve opening in its bottom and a valve coacting therewith, anunbalanced weight member coacting with said valve, a sub-assemblystructure comprising a plurality of substantially circumferentiallyspaced longitudinally extending parts forming a guideway for said valveand weight member and having passage-forming baflie means closing offsaid guideway and when inserted into said casing closing off the upperend thereof, and means holding said sub-assembly in assembled relationto said casing, said guideway-forming parts being of sheet metal andhaving inwardly open notches adjacent their upper ends, said bafllemeans including a baffle member having its marginal portions seatedwithin said notches.

9. A non-refillable bottle stopper, construction comprising a casinghaving a valve opening in its bottom and a valve coacting therewith, anunbalanced weight member coacting with said valve, a sub-assemblystructure comprising a plurality of substantially circumferentiallyspaced longitudinally extending parts forming a guideway for said valveand weight member and. having passage-forming bafile means closing offsaid guideway and when inserted into said casing closing off the upperend thereof, and means holding said sub-assembly in'assembled relationto said casing, said guideway-forming parts being of sheet metal andhaving inwardly open notches adjacent their upper ends, said bafilemeans including a baffle member having its marginal portions seatedwithin said notches, and a second bafile member having a substantiallycentral mouth portion and a skirt-like portion of a substantial downwardextent and slotted to interfit with upper end portions of saidguideway-forming parts.

10. A non-refillable bottle stopper construction comprising a casinghaving a valve opening in its bottom and a valve coacting therewith, anunbalanced weight member coacting with said valve, a sub-assemblystructure comprising a plurality of substantially circumferentiallyspaced longitudinally extending parts forming a guideway for said valveand weight member and having passage-forming baflie means closing offsaid guideway and when inserted into said casing closing off the upperend thereof, and means holding said sub-assembly in assembled relationto said casing, the means holding said sub-assembly in. assembledrelation to said casing comprisingmeans secured to said casing adjacentits upper end and forming a stop against movement of said sub-assemblyout of said casing.

11. A non-refillable bottle stopper construction comprising a casinghaving a valve opening in its bottom and a valve coacting therewith, anunbalanced weight member coacting with said valve, a sub-assemblystructure comprising a plurality of substantially circumferentiallyspaced longitudinally extending parts forming a guideway for said valveand weight member and having passage-forming baflie means closing offsaid guideway and when inserted into said casing closing off the upperend thereof, and means holding said sub-assembly in assembled relationto said casing, the means holding said sub-assembly in assembledrelation to said casing comprising a member secured to the casingadjacent the upper end thereof and having a pouring opening therein.

12. A non-refillable bottle stopper construction comprising a casinghaving a valve seat and a movable valve member coacting therewith, anunbalanced member in said casing for coaction with said valve member,said unbalanced member being unbalanced so that, when the stopperconstruction is tilted, the unbalanced member is tiltable in a directionto move said valve member toward its valve seat, and means forming aguideway for holding said unbalanced member Within said casing and incoacting relationship to said valve member and comprising aplurality ofindividual parts spaced about the interior of said casing and eachpresenting to said unbalanced member a relatively sharply defined edge,

to hold said unbalanced member spaced from the Walls of said casing andto guide it in its movement relative to said valve member, and meansholding said individual parts in assembled relationship to said casingto form said guideway.

13. A construction of the character described comprising, incombination, a bottle neck having an inwardly extending shoulder, anon-refillable stopper construction in said bottle neck and comprising acasing whose upper end is annularly conformed to be outwardly concaveand to envelop said shoulder, and valve means and baffle means in saidcasing, and means for holding said valve means and baflie means frommovement outwardly of said casing and comprising a band-like memberreceived within the upper end of said casing and substantially conformedthereto to lock said annular outwardly concave end against forceddistortion or disengagement from said shoulder and whereby saidband-like member is itself anchored in position, said band-like memberhaving means blocking movement of said baffle means upwardly out of saidcasing.

14. A construction of the character described comprising, incombination, a bottle neck having an inwardly extending shoulder, anon-refillable stopper construction in said bottle neck and comprising acasing whose upper end is annularly conformed to be outwardly concaveand to envelop said shoulder and valve means and valveguiding means insaid casing, and means for holding said valve means and valve-guidingmeans from movement outwardly of said casing and comprising a band-likemember received within the upper end of said casing and substantiallyconformed thereto to lock said annular outwardly concave end againstforced distortion or disengagement from said shoulder and whereby saidband-like member is itself anchored in position, said band-like memberhaving means blocking movement of said valve-guiding means upwardly outof said casing.

JAMES H. BALDWIN. KN'UD KNUDSEN.

